Apart from soirees, there was nothing Stephanie dreaded as much as dinner with her family. Wynn had invited the heads of the most influential Immortal families, four of which wanted her dead. The only good part of her day: learning two of her brothers had been released from the dungeon. She’d happily turned over the administrative and financial duties to Kiki but had then promptly been sent to the petitioner hall for a double shift.
She sat with the others in the formal dining room, which was as intimidating and glamorous as the numerous plates and glasses she hadn’t Googled how to use. In an uncomfortable gown, surrounded by silverware and strangers, Stephanie wanted nothing more than to disappear into her soup and swim away.
But this, too, would become one of her duties. She forced herself to pay attention, only to realize no one was talking about anything of substance.
The discussions at this end of the formal table were quiet and polite, a group of lions sizing up one another. She sat to her father’s left, and Kiki to his right. His family always sat in the seats of honor, no matter how powerful the Immortal clan leaders were. Most of the families were represented by couples, except for an older man who sat alone to her left. Her ever-present guardians received their fair share of discreet looks. Neither Trayern nor Mithra had bothered to dress up, though Trayern at least wasn’t throwing knives. He wore the scowl he did every time he was forced to be in the presence of stinky, barbaric human food.
Still bearing bruises and marks from his time in the dungeon, Kiki wore a tuxedo and sat stiffly across from her, eating when he was supposed to, and not speaking at all. Andre sat to his side, the only person in the entire dining hall to smile. She was grateful to see two of her brothers, though upset by Kiki’s condition. He never smiled, but he did nod his head in greeting when he sat down before he ignored everything but his food.
Andre’s warm presence always helped Stephanie relax. Bad things didn’t happen when Peace was around.
Wynn was distracted again, speaking only when addressed, not eating, and often appearing lost in his thoughts. His one arm remained bandaged. He wore a tuxedo and was meticulously dressed as usual.
With bitter triumph, she suspected she knew why his mind was elsewhere. Wynn was probably fighting the bond with Karma. Stephanie had tried and found it impossible. His mate wasn’t stuck in Hell; if Wynn wasn’t taking advantage of his time with Karma, he was an idiot.
Stephanie shifted a hand towards one of the knives, testing him, and he lifted his gaze to her.
Even distracted, Wynn was dangerous.
She dropped her hand to her lap. “You seem a little off again tonight,” she said for his ears only.
“Circumstances are becoming more complicated.”
His meaning could go any of many ways, and she was likely to pick the wrong one, for no one ever knew what Wynn was thinking. She hoped, however, he was referring to Karma. She wouldn’t wish her pain on anyone – except for Wynn. He was the reason she was in pain in the first place. If anyone deserved to feel what damage he was causing, it was Wynn.
This day, her pain was worse than it had been. She couldn’t pinpoint why, except she’d had a more vivid dream than usual the night before and had too much down time this day. Kiki had performed a double shift in the petitioner hall. She hadn’t realized how much she needed the distraction until left alone with her thoughts for too long.
“Okay,” Stephanie said, at a loss as to what else she could say. She met Kiki’s gaze. “It’s nice to see part of the family back together again. Where’s Rhyn?”
“It’s never wise to invite a demon to a formal dinner,” Wynn replied.
“Any hope you’ll release Tamer and Kris?”
“Not soon.”
He was not normally this short with her. Social when he needed to be, Wynn was unusually withdrawn from the guests he’d invited.
Stephanie folded her hands in her lap, not interested in her soup, no matter how good it was. The castle employed amazing chefs, but her appetite had begun to fade the longer she was apart from Fate. She dreamt of him nightly and awoke smelling him on her sheets, only to discover her mate hadn’t magically appeared like she prayed he would. She barely knew him, had only spent one night with him, and she felt as if her heart was ripped out of her chest each morning when she awoke to the reality that he was gone. She thought she’d fallen in love a couple times in her life but this was something entirely different. Consuming, compelling, and powerful, the Immortal mating bond wasn’t reckless teen love but life itself, and she didn’t think she’d survive much longer, if she couldn’t see him again.
The idea Wynn could visit his mate at will, and she could not, infuriated her, left her more raw than usual.
She leaned back, struggling to pull her emotions together. It was neither the time nor place to explode at Wynn. She did what he asked daily to stay occupied, but with her mate forefront on her mind always, she couldn’t escape the pain of being separated from him.
“You look how I feel,” the elderly man beside her said in a quiet voice.
She glanced at him.
His smile was genuine, the only truly kind smile she’d seen in the chamber, aside from Andre’s. It didn’t surprise her to recall from Kiki’s extensive files that Lord Osmond was a distant relative of Andre. They shared the same warm gaze.
“Lord Osmond,” she said to the man she’d spoken to at the soiree. “I’m sorry. I’m new to all this.”
“I’ve been to hundreds of these dinners,” he said solemnly. “They’re always terrible.”
She laughed too loudly, drawing the attention of everyone at the table. Face warm, Stephanie cleared her throat. “Sorry,” she murmured to the sole person at the table willing to speak to her.
“I’ve come to understand you have made a very difficult adjustment to our world.” He spoke with a faint, pleasant accent she couldn’t place.
“I have,” she confirmed. It dawned on her that Trayern and Mithra weren’t the only people creating a dossier on her. She interacted with few Immortals outside the petitioners and never with the leaders. Wynn handled the official business.
She would take his place soon. It would be nice to have an ally in the face of four clan leaders who wished her dead.
“The customs and traditions here are very different from mine,” she added. “My mother would’ve knocked Wynn and the boys senseless for acting the way they do.”
It was Lord Osmond’s turn to laugh quietly. “Your family is known for its volatility and resiliency. Your father and brothers have retained control of the Immortals since shortly after time began.”
“Times change,” she said. “People should change with them.”
“I agree.” Lord Osmond studied her. “Though I doubt your father does.”
Stephanie was quiet, not wanting to badmouth Wynn to anyone outside the family, even if Lord Osmond was correct to assume what he did.
“Pardon me,” Lord Osmond said. “I’ve been inappropriate.”
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m still figuring out a few things.”
“You look beautiful, Stephanie,” Andre said from across the table, his warm voice comforting.
She smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“Beauty and brains,” Lord Osmond seconded. “We are fortunate to have you.”
Wynn glanced at her then at her quiet brother. “Kiki,” he said.
Kiki stood and tapped his fork against his wine glass. The talk fell silent as the guests turned their attentions toward him.
“We want to thank you all for attending. We’ve had many exciting changes in our family and society the past several months,” Kiki said with absolutely no excitement in his tone. “My father would like to share an important announcement with the most revered members of the Immortal society.”
The guests smiled politely. They were as careful as Wynn about displaying true emotion. Stephanie couldn’t read any of them, and she couldn’t help looking at the four clan leaders who wanted her dead.
Kiki sat, and Wynn rose.
“As everyone is aware, Stephanie has returned to her family. She is the daughter of Chaos and the mate of Fate, and most importantly, my daughter. She is what this family needs to continue its tradition leading our society,” Wynn said, even less enthused than Kiki. “I’ve decided to name her my successor. Her new duties will commence in five days’ time. Out of respect for you all, I wanted to inform you before I announce it to the society.”
Five days? Stephanie blinked, surprised. How was she supposed to learn all her new duties let alone master them?
What would happen in five days that influenced Wynn’s decision to step down? Whatever it was, it had to be behind his recent decision to ramp up teaching her lessons.
The guests clapped. Some gave what seemed to be genuine smiles, and Lord Osmond appeared relieved.
She had a feeling the guests wanted all the men in her family gone from positions of power. Based on what she knew of their respective reigns, she didn’t blame the Immortals for being frustrated or angry. Would Wynn’s announcement change the minds of those who wanted her dead? Would she be viewed as the least of all the evils?
“To Stephanie,” Wynn said and raised his wine glass. “May your heart guide you and our people through the next age.”
She forced a smile and toasted with the rest of the people, silently hoping she didn’t have to give a speech next, because it wouldn’t be anything near as polite as what her father said.
“That said, the divisions within our people cannot be permitted to continue,” Wynn stated. “We were divided long ago. Not only did demons run unchecked within every world, but our kind was hunted to near extinction. You all joined with me to unite our people and create the society we have today. I understand the unfortunate events of the past few thousands of years have strained my family’s relationship with our people. Stephanie is my solution to healing this relationship. I am confident she will usher in a new era of leadership and growth. I believe you will find her nature to be compassionate, level headed, and fair. It is time for us to evolve, to build rather than destroy. She is powerful in her own right, and comes with the added connections to several influential deities.”
Stephanie listened, affected by Wynn’s thoughtful speech. More genuine smiles went through the guests, and she sensed eagerness at the idea of change. The Immortals deserved better than to be ruled be a dictator. She was impressed Wynn not only understood this, but was capable of seeing what was best for his society and following through, even if it meant he turned over his power and position to her.
She also felt a sliver of panic when she realized how much she had to learn before she was ready to lead. If she couldn’t hold the society together, the worlds would once more be overrun with demons.
Her mind was stuck on his short timeline. There was a reason for everything Wynn did, and her gut told her he hadn’t decided to become benevolent.
“However, I couldn’t in good conscience leave her to lead a society at war with itself,” Wynn continued. “I have taken the liberty of eliminating those who sought to betray the Council. Four of the ten families here aligned with my sons to usurp me and cause civil war.”
Her smile faded. Fate had warned her what would happen if civil war tore apart the Immortals, and to side with Wynn to ensure it never happened, as much as she didn’t want to. Stephanie hadn’t counted on Wynn taking care of the problem himself.
One of the guests coughed, followed by a second.
She glanced towards them and then back.
One couple was coughing up blood. Two more people began, followed by another. More people began coughing, until four couples were hacking up blood.
The others watched, their faces stony and emotionless.
Stephanie froze, horrified as she understood Wynn’s meaning. Those he targeted were the four clans she had learned wanted her dead.
One by one, the afflicted men and women sagged, fell, or face planted on the table. Ten Immortal guards entered and pulled the bodies away from the table. One by one, they chopped of the heads of the dead.
Stephanie winced every time she heard an axe slicing through meat and bone. She struggled to hold in her emotion, to not react, because that wasn’t what a leader would do.
A decent leader wouldn’t behead her guests at the dinner table, either.
Silence filled the dining room. Stephanie’s heart slammed in her ears, and she sat, unable to look at the damage and unwilling to move, in case she passed out. She couldn’t help thinking she was grateful she hadn’t eaten much, or she’d have vomited everywhere.
Andre sat stiffly, disapproving. Kiki shook his head and downed more wine.
“Consider this a warning to those of you remaining,” Wynn said quietly. “Their families will be spared, as long as no one challenges my authority again. For those here, if you choose the path the others did, your families will not be spared.” He set his wine glass on the table. “You’re dismissed.”
Without speaking, the heads of the other families stood and filed calmly out of the dining room.
Only when they were gone did Stephanie lean over, hyperventilating.
Wynn touched the back of her head. She pushed his hand away, but he replaced it. His cool power moved through her, removing the need to vomit and scream. He calmed her stomach and anxiety then released her.
“What the fuck did you just do?” she demanded when she could breathe again. She pushed herself away from the table and rose, needing to put distance between her and the eight headless corpses near the dining table.
“I removed the threats to your life and our society,” Wynn said.
“This was not what we discussed, Wynn.” Peace’s voice was hushed.
“But it was necessary.”
“You were supposed to talk to them!” Stephanie exclaimed, not caring about the hysterical note in her voice. “You chopped off their heads!”
“Based on the information I obtained, I chose more drastic measures,” Wynn replied.
“At dinner? You couldn’t wait to handle this elsewhere? And differently?”
“The threat to your life, and those of your brothers, was immediate.” Rare anger was in Wynn’s face. “I have wiped out entire races to protect our people and my family. Eight people are a drop of water in a lake.”
She gripped her head. “I can’t handle this.”
“We had evidence the attempt on your life would happen within the next twenty-four hours,” Peace said. “I had hoped we’d handle it differently.” This rebuke was aimed at Wynn.
“Which I did,” Wynn replied. “I’m allowing their families and clans to live. It’s more than they deserve.”
“He is being unusually … nice,” Kiki seconded.
“What the fuck is wrong with you all?” Stephanie snapped. “If this is how you do business, and what you expect of me, I can’t do it!” Furious, with tears in her eyes, she stormed out of the dining hall. When she reached the hallway outside, she flipped off her high heels and ran, not to her room, but outside, where she could breathe without feeling as if her lungs and head were about to explode.
Stephanie leapt down the stairs to the greens and into the forest, slowing only when she tripped over a branch in her path. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn’t care. The night was chilly and the air fresh. Trees groaned and swayed in a stiff breeze.
She tripped again. Trayern caught her arm before she hit the ground and hauled her back to her feet.
She shoved him away. Trembling from emotion, she threw her head back and stared at the stars visible through the swaying branches above.
When she thought things couldn’t get weirder, or started to think Wynn was human, or that she might have a chance leading their people, new levels of crazy shit exploded into her life. She’d come to peace with the fact she had to choose who lived and died in a demon incursion.
But at dinner?
“That’s the first Immortal dinner I’ve enjoyed,” Trayern said.
“Shut up, Trayern!” she snapped. “Back off!”
He didn’t leave, but he was silent, which was the most he’d accommodate her.
Stephanie stood in the quiet, sucking in deep breaths and trying to push the images of the dead couples out of her mind.
“Stephanie,” Andre said softly.
“I can’t do this,” she shouted. “I can’t have my heart broken every morning and my mind crushed every time I interact with him! I can’t do what he does to our people! How will they accept me if he’s going around chopping off heads?”
Peace smiled at her, sadness in his features. “You have been asked to carry a burden far greater than most. But it’s because you’re strong enough to carry it. Everyone around you sees it, including Wynn, who has never willingly ceded power to anyone.”
Always placated by her oldest brother, Stephanie calmed. “What he does is always wrong,” she said.
“He’s from a different time and does things the way he always has. When you’re in charge, you can choose to do things your way. The people will adapt. They always do.”
She listened, refusing to see any era where beheading people at a formal dinner was considered appropriate.
“His decision was influenced by the fact that times have changed,” Peace continued. “He has always done what is right for his people. His methods are ruthless and cruel to us, but he has never acted without a purpose and plan.”
“Neither do serial killers.”
“You know by now Wynn is far worse than a serial killer.”
She shivered. She distrusted Wynn. Being reminded of the monster beneath the handsome façade made her question why she wanted anything to do with this world in the first place.
“What’s the significance of five days?” she asked. “Why not wait until I have a fucking clue what I’m doing?”
“I don’t know,” was the troubled answer.
“It’s something bad, isn’t it?”
Andre shrugged.
Stephanie released a deep breath. “How did I wind up here?” she murmured, not for the first time.
“This is where you’re meant to be. You’re meant to unite your family and lead your people into a different era, one without Wynn. Of the two, I think uniting your family is going to be the bigger challenge.” Warm amusement was in his voice.
When Peace spoke, her life made some sense.
“Unless he’s planning on fucking us all over in five days,” she replied.
“Come on. You’re getting cold.”
Andre draped one arm around her shoulders and walked with her back to the castle and into its warm interior. They were quiet until they reached her floor.
“Sometimes, I start to think things aren’t as bad as they are. I just want … normal,” she whispered. “I don’t know if my mate’s even alive. My sister and mom are hidden away on some island where Wynn can’t get to them.” More tears formed. “And I’m supposed to lead the Immortals and prevent a civil war when I have no fucking idea what I’m doing?”
Her oldest brother was quiet.
“How can any of this not devolve into a raging dumpster fire?” she demanded with no heat.
“Let me see what I can do,” Andre replied. “Hang in there, Stephanie. I’ll figure something out.” He walked her to her chamber and stopped. “Stay strong. Okay? Things are going to change soon. I promise.”
She nodded.
Trayern threw the door open and strode in.
Exhausted and horrified by her evening, Stephanie followed. She turned on all the lights and threw herself across her bed. She couldn’t cry anymore; she’d spent the past few weeks sobbing. She felt … empty. Alone. Terrified. Lost.
I can’t take another day of this.
How did she lead her people when she could hardly tolerate her life?
As much as she didn’t want to think about anything, she couldn’t suppress the urgent instinct warning her she needed to find out Wynn’s plan, before they were all fucked. She just had to figure out how to do it.